This invention relates to the production of organometallic compounds, and is particularly directed to the preparation of certain volatile monomeric III-V compounds which can be pyrolyzed to form films of the corresponding metallic compound.
Single source organometallic precursors have been utilized to prepare epitaxial films of GaP, GaAs and InP. Although arsinogallanes have been known for over 25 years, monomeric arsinogallanes are rare. Arsinogallanes are usually found as dimers, trimers or adducts due to the proclivity of Ga(III) toward tetracoordination. Attempts to prepare monomeric arsinogallanes have focused on the use of bulky substituents. The first monomeric arsinogallane, [(Mesityl).sub.2 As].sub.3 Ga, was reported in 1986 by Wells et al, Inorg. Chem., 1986, 25,2483. Cowley et al., reported a dimer of a t-Butyl derivative arsinogallane compound, [(t-Bu).sub.2 AsGa(CH.sub.3).sub.2 ].sub.2, J. Chem. Soc., Chem. Commun., 1986, 1543; this compound is a solid having low vapor pressure. Only recently, Theopold et al., SCIENCE. 1988, 241, 334, reported the first mono(arsino)gallane monomer, (C.sub.5 (CH.sub.3).sub.5).sub.2 GaAs(Si(CH.sub.3).sub.3).sub.2, and its conversion to amorphous GaAs powder via reaction with alcohol; this compound is also a solid having negligible vapor pressure.
One object of the invention is the provision of novel monomeric organometallic compounds.
Another object is to provide a novel class of organometallic compounds which are volatile and can be readily converted to their respective metallic compounds.
A still further object is the provision of procedure for preparing the above volatile organometallic compounds.
Yet another object is to provide procedure for readily converting the above organometallic compounds to their respective metallic compounds, e.g., as films.